How do you care for your skin (specifically your face)?

I'm just curious how everyone cares for their skin, as I'm trying to take better care of mine! I found some stuff in the bathroom that wasn't being used and I"ve taken a liking to shaving well, then scrubbing the hell out of my skin, following it with a mask, and then moisturizing everything. Metro? Possibly, but getting compliments about how soft my skin looks is kinda awesome.

Answers (public voting - your screen name will appear in the results):

I dealt with TERRIBLE acne for years in junior high and high school. The only thing that worked for me was using an organic cleaner and organic facial moisturizer. I also use organic sunscreen daily on my face. If I use anything else, my skin freaks out.

I dealt with TERRIBLE acne for years in junior high and high school. The only thing that worked for me was using an organic cleaner and organic facial moisturizer. I also use organic sunscreen daily on my face. If I use anything else, my skin freaks
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I dealt with TERRIBLE acne for years in junior high and high school. The only thing that worked for me was using an organic cleaner and organic facial moisturizer. I also use organic sunscreen daily on my face. If I use anything else, my skin freaks out.

I had a blackhead line across my forehead in high school from my football helmet. Ivory soap cleared my skin right up!

I wash my face with Neutrogena's exfoliating scrub, then put on some moisturizer from Khiel's if my skin seems dry.
If you're scrubbing the hell out of your face, you might want to try an exfoliating cleanser too just to speed up the process of getting all that gunky dry/dead skin off.

I have had such sensitive /reactive skin that all I've ever been able to use on my face was Cetaphil & sometimes, not even water. I finally found a sunscreen a few years ago that I can actually wear with out problems!

My whole life, I had to stay out of the sun or burn, nothing helped except the goopy zinc oxide you would see life guard's put on their noses. There is a newer development in milling minerals, (for sunscreen they are, titanium dioxide & zinc dioxide), into micro-fine particles that do not show up on the skin as a while film & can be applied as a powder! No smell & no itchy, irritating lotions! I even get it in SPF 50.

I tried the BareMinerals one with the self-applicator brush & it's good, but I personally needed a higher SPF because I am a very fair skinned. I use Colorescience's Sunforgettable.
link, ( you can search for best pricing on the web.) The color I use provides no coverage, but if you also want coverage, any of the mineral makeups that claim an SPF would be fine to use as your sunscreen, just make sure you read the ingredients to see the two minerals I listed above, those should be the active ingredients.

I personally know that Bare Minerals makes an SPF Mineral Veil, which doesn't provide coverage, yet has either an SPF of 15 or 25, depending on which formula you pick. That way a man can use it & not look like he is wearing makeup! I also found a brand of lotion sunscreen that doesn't burn me, but I only use it when I will be spending time outside, such as gardening, because I don't like the bother of application when I can quickly dust on some powder that never even needs to be washed off! If you want the lotion one's name, just PM me for details, (and no, I don't sell anything, represent any company, or earn credit for sales, etc..)

MrWilly, scrubbing the hell out of your skin is not the way to treat it, I hope you weren't being literal! Yes, a gentle exfoliation 2-3 times a week, with breaks in between for your skin to recover, is beneficial. But irritating it, is only causing more damage & eventually you will thin it enough that you get worse problems. If manual exfoliation is too harsh for someone, there is chemical, such as the hydroxy acids, which are NOT as scary as they sound. Just know that with the manual scrubs, you want to use one with polyethylene beads, or similarly perfectly round grains, that don't have jagged edges that cause micro tears in the skin. Even if you have tougher skin & fruit, nut or other grains don't seem to bother you, consider the accumulated damage & that it makes you more susceptible to break outs.

Your cleanser should be pH neutral & not change the acid mantle of your skin- it's natural protective barrier function depends on this balance not being disturbed. If you are ever told you need a toner after using a cleanser, then don't use that cleanser! The sole purpose of a toner is to re-establish your skin's pH, all the rest is marketing to get you to buy it. Basically, if you are cleansing with an appropriate cleanser, then you don't need a toner. Some people like the refreshing sensation of using one or use a medicated one & that is fine, as long as you haven't stripped your face beforehand. Here's a great cleanser that's also a scrub, safe enough to use everyday, plus it fights blemishes with tea tree oil, Australian Harvest Daily Exfoliating Cleanser by Isomers. Of course, there is the Cetaphil I mentioned before, but some people claim they don't feel clean enough after using it, (likely because they are used to stripping their skin).

I realize I have barely gotten started & I'm in danger of writing an article here. So, I think I will just PM you, MrWilly & find out if you want to hear any more from me or not.

Anyone else who wants to ask me about anything, feel free to PM me! I love helping people & I understand the science behind the skin care, so I might be able to help, (I certainly know about allergic reactions & chemical sensitivities if you have those). There's so much obfuscation in the skin care industry, that it can be difficult to know what to believe. Since I have spend a lifetime studying this, I would be happy if someone else can benefit from my experience.

I have had such sensitive /reactive skin that all I've ever been able to use on my face was Cetaphil & sometimes, not even water. I finally found a sunscreen a few years ago that I can actually wear with out problems!
...

Llama serum!

I have had such sensitive /reactive skin that all I've ever been able to use on my face was Cetaphil & sometimes, not even water. I finally found a sunscreen a few years ago that I can actually wear with out problems!

My whole life, I had to stay out of the sun or burn, nothing helped except the goopy zinc oxide you would see life guard's put on their noses. There is a newer development in milling minerals, (for sunscreen they are, titanium dioxide & zinc dioxide), into micro-fine particles that do not show up on the skin as a while film & can be applied as a powder! No smell & no itchy, irritating lotions! I even get it in SPF 50.

I tried the BareMinerals one with the self-applicator brush & it's good, but I personally needed a higher SPF because I am a very fair skinned. I use Colorescience's Sunforgettable.link, ( you can search for best pricing on the web.) The color I use provides no coverage, but if you also want coverage, any of the mineral makeups that claim an SPF would be fine to use as your sunscreen, just make sure you read the ingredients to see the two minerals I listed above, those should be the active ingredients.

I personally know that Bare Minerals makes an SPF Mineral Veil, which doesn't provide coverage, yet has either an SPF of 15 or 25, depending on which formula you pick. That way a man can use it & not look like he is wearing makeup! I also found a brand of lotion sunscreen that doesn't burn me, but I only use it when I will be spending time outside, such as gardening, because I don't like the bother of application when I can quickly dust on some powder that never even needs to be washed off! If you want the lotion one's name, just PM me for details, (and no, I don't sell anything, represent any company, or earn credit for sales, etc..)

MrWilly, scrubbing the hell out of your skin is not the way to treat it, I hope you weren't being literal! Yes, a gentle exfoliation 2-3 times a week, with breaks in between for your skin to recover, is beneficial. But irritating it, is only causing more damage & eventually you will thin it enough that you get worse problems. If manual exfoliation is too harsh for someone, there is chemical, such as the hydroxy acids, which are NOT as scary as they sound. Just know that with the manual scrubs, you want to use one with polyethylene beads, or similarly perfectly round grains, that don't have jagged edges that cause micro tears in the skin. Even if you have tougher skin & fruit, nut or other grains don't seem to bother you, consider the accumulated damage & that it makes you more susceptible to break outs.

Your cleanser should be pH neutral & not change the acid mantle of your skin- it's natural protective barrier function depends on this balance not being disturbed. If you are ever told you need a toner after using a cleanser, then don't use that cleanser! The sole purpose of a toner is to re-establish your skin's pH, all the rest is marketing to get you to buy it. Basically, if you are cleansing with an appropriate cleanser, then you don't need a toner. Some people like the refreshing sensation of using one or use a medicated one & that is fine, as long as you haven't stripped your face beforehand. Here's a great cleanser that's also a scrub, safe enough to use everyday, plus it fights blemishes with tea tree oil, Australian Harvest Daily Exfoliating Cleanser by Isomers. Of course, there is the Cetaphil I mentioned before, but some people claim they don't feel clean enough after using it, (likely because they are used to stripping their skin).

I realize I have barely gotten started & I'm in danger of writing an article here. So, I think I will just PM you, MrWilly & find out if you want to hear any more from me or not.

Anyone else who wants to ask me about anything, feel free to PM me! I love helping people & I understand the science behind the skin care, so I might be able to help, (I certainly know about allergic reactions & chemical sensitivities if you have those). There's so much obfuscation in the skin care industry, that it can be difficult to know what to believe. Since I have spend a lifetime studying this, I would be happy if someone else can benefit from my experience.

By scrubbing the hell out of my skin I meant with a facial scrub and my hands in light concentric circles with warm water, and then rinsing with hot water before doing the mask. lol

When I wash the mask off, I use warm water, and then cold water to finish (to close the pores back up)

I do some light facial scrubbing a couple times a week, occasionally moisturize, and otherwise just stay hydrated and try not to touch my face too much. Seems to work alright for me (and I have pretty oily skin by nature).

By scrubbing the hell out of my skin I meant with a facial scrub and my hands in light concentric circles with warm water, and then rinsing with hot water before doing the mask. lol

When I wash the mask off, I use warm water, and then cold
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By scrubbing the hell out of my skin I meant with a facial scrub and my hands in light concentric circles with warm water, and then rinsing with hot water before doing the mask. lol

When I wash the mask off, I use warm water, and then cold water to finish (to close the pores back up)

No worries, then! It's best to avoid hot water, warm is fine. The cool rinse feels refreshing & is good at removing more cleanser residue, but it's a myth that it really closes the pores. Pores don't open & close. Once they stretch, they stay they way & what will stretch them is a build up of stuff in them, an accumulation of cellular debris, pus &/or excess sebum. You can use tricks to temporarily make pores look reduced in size, but the best thing is prevention & that means keeping your skin exfoliated & protection from the sun. Once the underlying support structures of the skin, the scaffolding, is damaged by UV light, the skin loses it's tautness & as everything droops a bit, the pores do too, making them appear more noticeable.

What kind of mask do you use? If it's clay based, (usually says kaolin in ingredients), be careful not to use it everyday, because your skin can become overly dry OR it will overcompensate & pump out more oil. It's important not to use your mask or scrub more than recommended on the label. There are some scrubs that are light enough to use everyday if well tolerated, but too often with a harsher one, will eventually over-exfoliate you & no one want to suffer that, it's like your face has had a few layers sandblasted off; it hursts & take a while to heal.

As long as you are responding well to your current steps, all is good, you are covering all the bases, except sunscreen. Please, if you don't wear any, consider getting a moisturizer with mineral sunscreen in it, (you want a physical sunscreen, not a chemical), if that makes it easier, & use that during the day & the other at night. There's also the super easy powder ones I mentioned earlier.

BTW, I think most women appreciate a man who takes care of his skin! Who cares if someone tries to call it Metrosexual. As long as you aren't incredibly vain, (and I'm sure you're not), all women see is someone who has soft, beautiful skin & they want to touch it!

Try using exfoliating body scrubs, as well! If you skin is soft all over, someone will want to touch it all over, not bad, eh? I remember some guy I knew was thought the lotion he used made his hands too soft & he worried he would be mocked, so he stopped & let then go to hell. No matter how soft your skin is, it will never look the same as a woman's, it will always be beautiful MALE skin, so good for you taking care of it. I'm glad you got compliments already. I can't help think when I see a guy with good grooming habits, that he has them all over & that's very appealing, especially to women! (And don't forget the feet! )

I'm just curious how everyone cares for their skin, as I'm trying to take better care of mine! I found some stuff in the bathroom that wasn't being used and I"ve taken a liking to shaving well, then scrubbing the hell out of my skin,
...

I'm just curious how everyone cares for their skin, as I'm trying to take better care of mine! I found some stuff in the bathroom that wasn't being used and I"ve taken a liking to shaving well, then scrubbing the hell out of my skin, following it with a mask, and then moisturizing everything. Metro? Possibly, but getting compliments about how soft my skin looks is kinda awesome.

I do it simple with soap and some moisturizer sometimes. However, I do use sunscreen...every time we play outdoors.

No worries, then! It's best to avoid hot water, warm is fine. The cool rinse feels refreshing & is good at removing more cleanser residue, but it's a myth that it really closes the pores. Pores don't open & close. Once they
...

No worries, then! It's best to avoid hot water, warm is fine. The cool rinse feels refreshing & is good at removing more cleanser residue, but it's a myth that it really closes the pores. Pores don't open & close. Once they stretch, they stay they way & what will stretch them is a build up of stuff in them, an accumulation of cellular debris, pus &/or excess sebum. You can use tricks to temporarily make pores look reduced in size, but the best thing is prevention & that means keeping your skin exfoliated & protection from the sun. Once the underlying support structures of the skin, the scaffolding, is damaged by UV light, the skin loses it's tautness & as everything droops a bit, the pores do too, making them appear more noticeable.

What kind of mask do you use? If it's clay based, (usually says kaolin in ingredients), be careful not to use it everyday, because your skin can become overly dry OR it will overcompensate & pump out more oil. It's important not to use your mask or scrub more than recommended on the label. There are some scrubs that are light enough to use everyday if well tolerated, but too often with a harsher one, will eventually over-exfoliate you & no one want to suffer that, it's like your face has had a few layers sandblasted off; it hursts & take a while to heal.

As long as you are responding well to your current steps, all is good, you are covering all the bases, except sunscreen. Please, if you don't wear any, consider getting a moisturizer with mineral sunscreen in it, (you want a physical sunscreen, not a chemical), if that makes it easier, & use that during the day & the other at night. There's also the super easy powder ones I mentioned earlier.

BTW, I think most women appreciate a man who takes care of his skin! Who cares if someone tries to call it Metrosexual. As long as you aren't incredibly vain, (and I'm sure you're not), all women see is someone who has soft, beautiful skin & they want to touch it!

Try using exfoliating body scrubs, as well! If you skin is soft all over, someone will want to touch it all over, not bad, eh? I remember some guy I knew was thought the lotion he used made his hands too soft & he worried he would be mocked, so he stopped & let then go to hell. No matter how soft your skin is, it will never look the same as a woman's, it will always be beautiful MALE skin, so good for you taking care of it. I'm glad you got compliments already. I can't help think when I see a guy with good grooming habits, that he has them all over & that's very appealing, especially to women! (And don't forget the feet! )

Wow...what an incredibly detailed answer. Are you in the "skin" business?

I'm just curious how everyone cares for their skin, as I'm trying to take better care of mine! I found some stuff in the bathroom that wasn't being used and I"ve taken a liking to shaving well, then scrubbing the hell out of my skin,
...

I'm just curious how everyone cares for their skin, as I'm trying to take better care of mine! I found some stuff in the bathroom that wasn't being used and I"ve taken a liking to shaving well, then scrubbing the hell out of my skin, following it with a mask, and then moisturizing everything. Metro? Possibly, but getting compliments about how soft my skin looks is kinda awesome.

Mostly just water and a mild soap at times. No moisturizing or anything...though I might regret that later!

I have one of those Olay rotating brush things that I use with a gentle exfoliating cleanser whenever I shower, and a light lotion afterward, but that's the extent of it. I find that, the more I wash my face, the more I break out.

Wow...what an incredibly detailed answer. Are you in the "skin" business?

Nope*. And I'm not trying to sell anybody anything.

But I have had lifelong issues with allergies & chemical sensitivities which presented all over my skin. It's taken a lot of research & Dr visits to get my skin under control. I still have eczema, but I don't get nearly as many acute exacerbations anymore. I have been educating myself about it forever & I have a science background, so I like finding the answers & the'what' & the 'why' of it all. I tried not to overdo it in my comments! I did stop & PM him to ask if he wanted any info that way so I wouldn't bore everyone to death. I don't mean to be overbearing. I just like sharing my knowledge.

I have one of those Olay rotating brush things that I use with a gentle exfoliating cleanser whenever I shower, and a light lotion afterward, but that's the extent of it. I find that, the more I wash my face, the more I break out.

Studies have determined that washing the face twice a day is the perfect amount & over washing does lead to breakouts in those susceptible to them! (If this works for you, there is no reason to do anything else if you don't want to.) I hope you wear sunscreen, too!

Mostly just water and a mild soap at times. No moisturizing or anything...though I might regret that later!

Not everyone needs moisturizer, if you feel comfortable in your skin without it, then you are not causing any future damage by not using it. They just want to sell you stuff you don't need! If your skin feels tight after washing or you know you have dry skin, then not using a moisturizer will damage the integrity of your skin barrier.

MrWilly, I apologize if it looks like I'm taking over your discussion! I just can't help myself when I have something to say that may help someone. If you want me to can it, I will, (just try not to hurt my feelings the way you say it. ) Besides, I better try to sleep.

I only wash my face with soap and water (can't afford facial soaps!) then try to find the lotion. The hubby and I have very different ideas of where the lotion should be. I think it should be on the bathroom sink. He thinks it needs to be on the living room coffee table. Still don't know how we manage that.

MrWilly, I apologize if it looks like I'm taking over your discussion! I just can't help myself when I have something to say that may help someone. If you want me to can it, I will, (just try not to hurt my feelings the way you say it. )
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MrWilly, I apologize if it looks like I'm taking over your discussion! I just can't help myself when I have something to say that may help someone. If you want me to can it, I will, (just try not to hurt my feelings the way you say it. ) Besides, I better try to sleep.

No worries here! I was just curious and I'm still processing all of your information! lol

I have combination skin so I have always had problems with blackheads and occasional acne that turn into dark blemishes.

I've been through tons of products and the only thing that works year-round without me having to switch or spend money on additional products is Clinique, Type 3 for Oily Combination Skin. I actually am expecting an order tomorrow because I can't take it anymore. I was using neutrogena naturals which works fairly well, but it is harsh on my skin and ends up drying it out. I had paired it with Olay moisturizer with SPF for sensitive skin.

Although I dropped a pretty penny, Clinique is worth how amazing and clear my skin is when I use it. I got the face wash, toner, moisturizer, and dark spot corrector.

it really depends on how im feeling; while i always wash my face using a mild soap, acne scrub and cleanser, i try to follow up with toner, spot treatment and lotion, there will be times i really feel the need to pamper my face and slap on a mask and well as using a facial moisturizer.